VisionKing 5×25

Specifications:

Objective diameter (acc. to spec.):  25 mm
Objective diameter (measured):  24 mm
Magnification (acc. to spec.):  5 x
Magnification (measured):  4.71 x
Exit pupil (acc. to spec.): 5 mm
Exit pupil (measured): 5.1 mm
Eye relief (acc. to spec): 15 mm
Usable eye relief (measured from rim of eyecup): 10 mm
IPD (measured): 56 – 75 mm
RFOV (acc. to spec.):  15.8  degrees = 276 m
RFOV (measured):  14.7  degrees = 257 m
AFOV (measured, rounded): 71 degrees
Minimum focus distance (acc. to spec.): 3 m
Minimum focus distance (measured): 2.9 m
Focus type: CF (direction of rotation from close to infinity: > clockwise)
Degrees of rotation of focus wheel from 3 m to infinity (measured): 175 degrees
Range of diopter adjustment (estimate): +/- 4 dpt*
Excess travel of focus wheel beyond infinity position (estimate): 5 dpt*
Prism system:  Schmidt-Pechan
Waterproof: yes
Weight (acc. to spec, without accessories): 590 g
Weight (measured, with eyepiece cover and strap): 596 g
Made in: China

Remarks:

These cheap “Super Wide Angle” binoculars made by Visionking Optical Technology Co. Ltd. have been on the market for a couple of years, similar or even identical models are being sold under a number of different brand names via ebay, amazon, aliexpress and other internet shops. They are marked “multicoated” (note: NOT “fully multicoated”), “5×25” and “Field 15.8 Degrees”, and we took the liberty of measuring a few of these values and – surprise, surprise – came up with slightly different ones. Instead of a 5×25, this is in fact a 4.7 x 24 instrument, and its field is not 15.8, but 14.7 degrees. Still impressive, but don’t expect anyting like “edge sharpness” in such a low price instrument. Sharpness is only satisfactory in a small area around the center of the image; nevertheless, this gadget generates more fun than BINOCULARS TODAY would have expected. For such a low price instrument, CA correction, color fidelity and stray-light control are quite okay. Thanks to the wide field (AFOV somewhere around 70 degrees) and the great depth of field you can get nice landscape observations, and even views of the night sky may be impressive, despite the lousy off-axis sharpness. Just don’t let your eyes wander too much, instead keep looking at the center of the image while moving the binocular. Great instrument for cloud-spotters!

see also separate post about a clone of the Visionking, the GMC Admiral 5×25, https://binocular.ch/admiral-compact-5×25-sww/

Ratings:

Review:

An initial impression can be found here:
https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/519516-visionking-5×25-ultra-wide-field/page-10#entry11614188